Circular rides – almost entirely on bike paths tiny / secret lanes with no or very slow traffic (i.e. those lanes which are less than 3m wide, so nothing can hurtle around the corner). On most of these we never saw a car. Some off-roads bit to connect.
NB Some walks at the end too, will add some more
Hartley Farm to South Wraxhall, Monkton Farleigh and Conkwell (8 miles)
Park at Hartley Farm. Tiny lanes NE to cross A363 then good off road track, pas golf club, coming out at S Wraxhall. Then more idyllic lanes to M Farleigh. Crossing back (under the) A363, the bridle way is rough but beautiful, through woods (mainly walk bikes) and back via magical Conkwell.
Ordnance Survey Map of walk
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Open Street Map of walk
Winsley Hill to Turleigh and Murhill (4 miles)
Park at the canal and along canal path to the stone canal bridge. Track up hill to Murhill and through its quiet Georgian lanes of Turleigh, and back through Murhill. Final descent down Winsley Hill is a bit hairy but over quickly and you could walk it.
Ordnance Survey Map of walk
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Open Street Map of walk
Wellow / Stony Littleton by railroads to Radstock, Hardington and Faulkland (12 miles)
Park at the little car park for the Long Barrow, opp the farm that has a shed that sells Marshfield icecream. Follows NCR24 on old railways for much of the way (look out for the old railway carriages in the undergrowth). The bit in Radstock is a bit tricky as roads have changed and there’s now a new housing estate, but follow NCR24 signs for Radstock then Kilmersdon / Frome.
The NCR24 does go all the way on from Wellow to Midford (railway) and then Dundas, for connection to Limpley Stoke, if you want to cycle the whole way, but makes it too long with kids
Ordnance Survey Map of walk
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Open Street Map of walk
Norton to Lullington, Orchardleigh and Buckland (14 miles)
Park at Norton co-op. Totally idyllic wildflower filled lanes. Didn’t see a single car in 14 miles. Lavington and Lullington are beautiful. Easy carfree smooth lanes through Orchardleigh estate with a lake and lots of picnic opps. Only trick bit is at you need to go through the metal farm gate and take the track on right just before Nightingale Lodge Cottage, to and past Murtry Hill Farm. Then its 100m A road. There’s also a very bumpy byway final mile section from Hassage (behind Tucker’s Grave) into the back of Norton.. Then cross Norton green back to Norton co-op.
Figure of eight, so could shorten easily
Ordnance Survey Map of walk
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Open Street Map of walk
South Wraxhall to Great Chalfied, Atworth, Neston, Kingsdown and M Farleigh (4 / 10 miles – haven’t done longer loop yet)
Park at S Wraxhall near BOA. Lovely ride to Chalfield on track then back on lanes (short version) or head on to Neston for longer version (We haven’t tried the Aston to Kingsdown bit yet).
Ordnance Survey Map of walk
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Open Street Map of walk
Longleat loop
Will upload soon
Tellisford to Standerswick (not tested)
Ordnance Survey Map of walk
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Open Street Map of walk
Walk: Secrete bluebells around Friary deep wood, with caves and bomb craters
There’s a track at the top of Friary Lane which lead off into the deep bluebell filled woods, coming out alongside a pheasant coop. From there head left through the clearing and many bluebell copses and you eventually come out above the cliffs / caves, by the fallen down green wood shed. On the rest of the loop, look out for the two bomb craters in the woods…
Ordnance Survey Map of walk
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Open Street Map of walk
Walk: Westwood Avoncliff
Well known walk. Starts with a high open meadow, near the transmitter. Then, yes, the footpath goes through someone’s garden gate… Then into the woods, look for the cliffs and big rope swings on the left. The back via Westwood playground and across the fields to Westwood Manor, one of the finest medieval houses in the land.
Ordnance Survey Map of walk
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